From the Light Comes Darkness
by Hiei Jaganshi Urameshi
Summary: SECOND PART TO THE YU YU NARUTO SERIES. Now that Akatsuki has been disbanded, what lies around the corner...? WILL CONTAIN YAOI.
1. Prologue

Prologue

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho or Naruto

'The World doesn't deserve

The taint that demons bring.

It is the job of those willing

To accept the responsibility

To Purge the Taint from the World.

The poison can only be contained

By those pure of heart and soul.

Only an antidote made of the poison

Can forever end the curse.

Tainted blood spilled can heal the world

Demonic lines cannot be allowed to exist.

For the world to live

They must die.'

Two eyes read the words, and opened in surprise. What was this? It refered to demons and demonic lines? The figure moved to another shelf and pulled down volumes that had been used a lot by their previous owner, and looked through it. What he saw made the eyes open further.

Clan: Uchiha

Descended From: Kyuubi no Kitsune

Status: Active

Demonic Power(s): Sharingan, allows jutsu abilities to be copied with ease. Mangekyo Sharingan, allows powerful jutsu attacks to be performed.

Agent: Uchiha Fukuro.

The book fell from nerveless fingers, the reader stumbled to a chair and slumped down. Disbelief crossed his face, surely there had been a mistake, that something was truly wrong with his eyes, but he read the notes again. No, it was still there. He had to tell someone, anyone, of his findings. Others needed to know what was said. He took the scroll and book with him

Uchiha Itachi knew that he had to warn his brother and the other clans in this book, that they were on a hit list. He and Kisame fled into the night.


	2. Chapter 1: A Nightmare Revealed

A Nightmare Revealed

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho or Naruto

This takes place three years after the end of 'A Strange New World'.

"My baby! Someone has stolen my baby!" Hinata screamed as she barged into the Hokage's office. "Hokage-sama, you need to send someone to find out who did this!" Neji followed his wife into the room, and hugged her. Their marriage had originally been only to bring the two branches of the Hyuuga Clan together, to remove the wrong that had been committed, however that changed in the first few months. Both Hinata and Neji grew to love each other, and their daughter had been born nine months ago. "Please, Hokage-sama!"

Itachi took that oportunity to make his appearance known. "Hokage-sama. I see that I got back too late." He said as he approached the desk, placing the book and the scroll in front of her. "I found some disturbing articles in the ruins of the old Akatsuki base. I thought that you would like to see them." He bowed respectively to the two Hyuugas. "I apologise for my rudeness, but there is more problems than your daughter going missing." Tsunade looked up from the book.

"Indeed, it seems like there is a lot of bad blood out there. How did you come across this?" Tsunade asked.

"It belonged to the Akatsuki leader before I took over. At first there seemed to be little to no links, well this proves otherwise. May I sit?" Tsunade waved her hand at the empty chairs, inviting the Hyuugas to sit also. "Well, we knew that Fukuro, my eldest brother, was involved with Chimamirehisakata to his own admission, we didn't know that the old leader of the Akatsuki was. Not only was he a member, but I suspect he was an active one at that. These are too accurate to be otherwise." He said patting the book. "I request that Fukuro be questioned, maybe he hasn't been thoroughly interrogated enough to give up everything."

"Orochimaru said that he was under some kind of mind control." Tsunade said. "The only person that I know that can break mind control is said Sannin, unless you can too." Tsunade raised her eyebrow questioningly.

"No, I cannot. If you wouldn't mind asking Orochimaru to try and remove the mind control, he can also sit in on the interogation. I do not believe that Morino Ibiki will be required. You, me and the snake-man makes three." Itachi said. "Plus Kisame will want to come, and that means most of the room will be gone." Tsunade nodded.

"I'll send someone to get Orochimaru. Knowing him, he'll take Shuichi with him when he comes." Tsunade said, motioning to one of her aides, who disappeared.

It was Kurama who heard the knock on the door first and he answered it. "Orochimaru-sensei, the Hokage is looking for you." Kurama said when Orochimaru handed him a plate of sandwiches as he took the tea. He still thought about his mother and the chance that he had given up to go home, but Orochimaru made it all worth while in the end. Yes he had given up an important person in his life, but he had gained another while he had been in this new world, the world that he had once wished to leave, at least that was what Orochimaru hoped. There was times that he could see a fake smile, painted on as if by an artist. "Orochimaru?" Kurama asked.

"Sorry, I was miles away." The Snake Sannin said.

"We should go and see what Tsunade-sama wants." Kurama said. "It must be important if she wants you to be there." Orochimaru nodded, discarding the, now cold, tea. "Want me to accompany you?"

"Do as you wish." Orochimaru said, making the kitsune grin. "As if 'no' would stop you anyway." The Sannin offered his arm arm to the red-head.

It took them a moment to get to Tsunade's office, and as they entered they saw others were already there. "What can we do for you, Tsunade-sama?" Orochimaru asked as the door closed behind them, accepting the seat that was offered to him, Kurama standing closer to the door.

"You said that you could attempt at removing the mind control on Uchiha Fukuro before." Tsunade said.

"Also, if you remember I also said that there may be very little chance of him remembering anything of any use. I doubt that the person that put the mind control on him would want him to give out any useful information," Orochimaru said. "There is a chance that Uchiha Fukuro may forget everything that has happened since he was taken from Konoha all those years ago. If that is the case he'll have the mental age of an eleven year old Chuunin, who will be wondering why things are so different so suddenly."

"Things have progressed since then." Tsunade said. "Hyuuga Kikyo has been kidnapped from her bed earlier and Itachi has uncovered some disturbing information, disturbing enough that we have to try any means we have at our disposal to quicken the search." Orochimaru raised an eyebrow and Tsunade pushed the book towards him. "It is only fair that you know what we do, considering that it partly involves you too." Orochimaru lifted the book and flicked through the pages, not instantly recognising anything until his eyes dropped onto a page that he stopped at.

"I don't see why this is so..." he said before he broke off, his eyes widening. Kurama took that as a sign that something definately was wrong, and he approached the snake-like man, standing behind the other. His own eyes widening in shock and horror, as he read the page, before they narrowed once more.

"What else is in this book, Itachi?" Kurama asked. The middle Uchiha just shrugged.

"I never read the thing, just that they were collecting data on the Kekkai Genkai-using clans. Seemingly Chimamirehisakata believes that such clans are descended from the tailed demons. They have categorised each clan by which demon they believe sired them. I just took note of the Uchiha Clan though." Itachi said. "I hold no real facination for any of the other clans, I believe that they deserve thew same chance of life as we have been given. The first way is to find out where all the remaining members of the Clans are mentioned in this book and warn them, of which we could be already too late for, or we could attack the main problem if the information is there."

Orochimaru nodded. "Makes perfect sense." He said. "If you get your information from your darling older brother then all is fine, if not you'll just take the long way around. Am I correct?" Itachi inclined his head slightly. "Very well, I shall try to get rid of the mind control without losing the memories, but as I said, there is no guarantee." Tsunade smiled at the snake-like Sannin. "Lead the way, Tsunade-himi."

It took little time for them to arrive at Fukuro's cell. The door was opened at Tsunade's nod, and the small group entered. "What do you want?" Fukuro's voice snarled at them from the darkness. "I have nothing to say to you, so leave me be." Orochimaru gave a small, almost sadistic, smile at the Uchiha's comment. Those that were close to Orochimaru could hear the snake chuckle almost evilly. Tsunade's eyes closed, knowing that her old teammate would enjoy himself even more now.

"Orochimaru..." She said warningly, but Orochimaru's smile only widened.

"Tsunade, you asked me for help." Orochimaru said, as he slowly faced her. "I'm not about to do anything that will harm him... well not permanently anyway." Tsunade didn't like the sound of that. "No pain, no gain, Tsunade." Kurama's hand touched Orochimaru's arm.

"No more than you have to, Orochimaru." He said, "Please?" Orochimaru just gave a single nod. He knew that he couldn't fight Kurama, not when he was being so cute. "Promise me, Orochimaru."

"I promise that I won't harm him more than necessary." Orochimaru said. "No matter how much I am tempted, I won't do it." He turned his attention back to Fukuro, taking in his appearance. The eldest of the three Uchihas was blindfolded and chained to a wall, and for good reason. Orochimaru heard how it took Maito Gai all his time to pin the Uchiha down. Out of the remaining members of the Uchiha Clan, Fukuro was the one more versed in Taijutsu, and coupled with the Sharingan meant trouble to those not as skilled as he was.

"What do you want, snakes for brains?" Fukuro snapped, knowing the venomous gaze that fell on him. "Tell me and I'll be sure that you'll never get it." He heard the snake laugh. It was a laugh filled with, barely contained, bloodlust.

"Shuichi, if you see me do anything… unusual, then I want you to… you know." Orochimaru said without looking over his shoulder.

"Of course, Orochimaru-sensei." Kurama said, a small smile gracing his lips. He knew that Fukuro not the others knew what Orochimaru meant, and it was only a threat. However if nobody else knew, then Fukuro would believe what Orochimaru said as truth. Orochimaru smiled, knowing that Kurama had got the idea. His hands removed the blindfold. Below the blindfold, black eyes stared back at him.

"Good boy." Orochimaru said patronisingly. His fingers forming seals quickly, before he placed his hands on either side of Fukuro's head. He heard Fukuro scream as he tried to fight the older ninja's control, as Orochimaru's own mind forced itself inside.

Bit by bit, Orochimaru picked at the mind control that had been placed on the Uchiha, freeing Fukuro slowly. Orochimaru could feel a horrifying sense of déjà vu. The control reeked of serpentine power, however he was the last of his clan, and he was certain that there were no other clans like his. Even if there was another, could their strength even be comparable with his? His clan, although nowhere nearly as renowned as the Uchihas or the Hyuugas, still held a bit of influence. The only difference was that only one person in the entire family held the full strength gifted to them by the Orochi, and even then that person had always been female in the past. Always been female so that it would be passed on, through birth, to the successor. However he was landed with the bijuu when his mother died during childbirth. It was a fact that the Orochi refused to let him forget. He was the first male to house the Orochi, and he would also be the last. The bijuu would die with him.

An hour later and Orochimaru pulled away from the Uchiha. The Sannin's chakra was lower than what he would have liked. It took more chakra, and more control, to pick away at the control, rather than to just rip it out. Taking the 'softly, softly' approach had its drawbacks. "He's all yours." Orochimaru said as he leaned against a wall, Kurama sticking close to him. "I don't know how successful it was though. You'll have to give him some time for things to settle. It was only the second time that I have had to do that, and whomever did the mind control was thorough. It was widespread in his mind, like a virus." He could feel Kurama's arms wrap around him. "That person controlled his every action, so don't raise your hopes too much." Itachi nodded and released Fukuro from the chains that held him.

The black eyes slowly opened and Fukuro gave a scared whimper before shouting. "I won't do it! I won't betray the rest of my Clan! I will not kill my brothers!" at the top of his voice. Itachi slapped him, bringing the cry to a close.

"Uchiha Fukuro, bring yourself together!" Itachi snapped. "Have you forgotten yourself entirely?" Itachi's harsh tone made the other Uchiha squeak. Kurama gave a small growl.

"Let me speak with him." Kurama said. "Maybe I'll be kinder to him than his own family is." Kurama offered his hand to Fukuro, who took it hesitantly. Kurama then led him from the cell to the Hokage's office. "Please sit down Fukuro-san." Kurama said. "I need to ask you a few questions, nothing more." Orochimaru brought in some tea and sandwiches. "Help yourself to some food and tea. Do you mind if a few others sits in too?" Fukuro shook his head as he started to eat. Orochimaru picked up on the look and asked Itachi and Tsunade to enter the room. Kurama smiled, seeing Fukuro's reaction to seeing Itachi. "Fukuro, I promise that if we get our answers you can get yours." The eldest Uchiha nodded. "How old are you, Fukuro?"

"I am 11." Fukuro said, looking at them as though they had all grown three heads. "Why, how old do I look?"

"We know that you are 27." Kurama said. "Your brother, Itachi is 24 and your other brother, Sasuke, is 19." He saw Fukuro's eyes widen in shock. "We need to know about Chimamirehisakata, anything that you can tell us will be of benefit."

"I don't know much, I'm afraid." Fukuro said. "I remember them being angry at me for… for killing Hyuuga Hisa. They wanted us both alive. I only remember little bits after that. I remember that I displeased them again when I didn't do something for them. After that I remember nothing."

"Where are they based?" Kurama asked, hearing the scratching of a pen from behind him.

"They move around. They never spend more than a couple of months in a place. Also you will never find all the members in one place. I'm sorry, but I cannot tell you more than that." Kurama nodded. "What is going to happen to me?"

"We are going to help you regain your lost years." Tsunade said. "You're going in Orochimaru's team." She could see Kurama visibly tighten. "I am sure that Orochimaru and Shuichi wouldn't mind allowing you to share their apartment either."

"I can bare him being in my team, but living in my home?" Kurama shouted. "Tsunade-sama, you must remember…"

"He doesn't remember, Shuichi." She said with a smile. "He cannot go back to the Uchiha quarter, and there are precious few homes that can spare a room for him."

"I will not share with him, and that is final!" Kurama shouted before he stormed out of the room.

"Orochimaru…"

"Tsunade, just stop there." Orochimaru said. "Do you forget what happened almost four years ago? Just because Uchiha Fukuro can't remember, doesn't mean that Shuichi has forgotten." Orochimaru said. "He still has nightmares about the incident." The snake Sannin's eyes closed. "This will be like a waking nightmare for him. The past three years were better for him, as he knew exactly where Fukuro was. Now he will be panicky since he is in the same house." The golden eyes snapped open. "Do not do something like this again without discussing it with me. You aren't the one that has to hold him when he wakens in the middle of the night, when he wakens himself screaming." Orochimaru then sighed. "I'll have a word with him."

It didn't take him long to find his kitsune. "Kurama, we have no real choice but to do what she says." Orochimaru said. "She is the Hokage, after all. She will have her reasons for doing this." His arms pulled Kurama deeper into his embrace. "I won't let him touch you in any inappropriate way, be it in the home or on missions. Just give things a chance, say for two months, if you still can't get used to him, then Tsunade can't say that you haven't tried."

"Two months?" Kurama asked, and Orochimaru nodded.

"Two months and that's all." Orochimaru assured him. "I promise you that he won't stay a moment longer than that if you want him gone."

"Very well, Orochimaru." Kurama said quietly. "Just make sure that he can't… won't…"

"You're mine, Kurama, and mine you'll stay. If he thinks about touching you, he'd be unlucky to see the next day." Orochimaru kissed Kurama. "I'd rather see him tortured than you." He then led Kurama back to the office. He can stay with us, under one condition." Orochimaru said. "If Shuichi still feels uncomfortable in his presence after two months you have to find another place for him." Tsunade opened her mouth to reply. "Take it or leave it. My primary concern lies with my boyfriend, not with him." Tsunade sighed, which meant that Orochimaru had won the argument. "Since that is settled, come on, Fukuro, let us get you settled into your new, if temporary, home."

"Why does he hate me?" Fukuro asked as Orochimaru showed him his room. "What did I do wrong to him?"

"You're better off not remembering that." Orochimaru said. "Trust me on that." His eyes met Kurama's who was standing on the other side of the door. "I'm sure that you'll remember in time, but for now, its best that you try to put this to the back of your mind. Just try to stay out of Shuichi's way; also don't try to touch him, even if he's hurt. Also, I suggest that you keep your physical contact to me a minimum as well. I don't want you to be hurt, and you would be if Shuichi-kun thought that I was in any way in danger." Fukuro didn't even question what Orochimaru meant. If he said that then he was sure that the Sannin was right.

"I shall do as you say, Orochimaru-sensei." Fukuro said. "I don't want to make Shuichi-kun dislike me any more than he currently does." Orochimaru nodded. "We leave soon, don't we?"

"Two days." Orochimaru said. "Tsunade wants you to get used to your team before we even attempt to do any missions. We need to know your strengths in combat, and you need to learn ours. Until we know that there is no point in us even trying to do a D-class mission, not speaking of one as complex as the Hokage wants us to do."

Two days later and Tsunade summoned a number of teams to her office. "Thank you all for coming." She said with a smile as the teams filed in. She looked each team over, all had their strengths and weaknesses, and all had a full compliment… well almost all. In three years, Iruka had never taken on another member to his team, even after she had insisted on numerous occasions. Now she was going to insist that he did, and not only that, but she had selected one for him. He was a young ANBU, which answered to the name of 'Sai'. He had once been a member of ROOT, an organisation that once a subdivision of the ANBU unit. As it had been disbanded, this young man had been 'floating' in the ANBU ranks. He would fit in well with Iruka's… unusual team.

The look on Iruka's face when she showed Sai to him was worth everything. "I do believe that I asked you many times over the past three years to choose another member for your team, Iruka-sensei." Tsunade said to the angry Jounin. "I just made the search easier on you by asking Sai to be your other member." The smiling face turned serious. "However this isn't just about teasing Iruka about his inability to decide on another member for his team. All the Kekkai Genkai using clans out there needs to be warned about a group known as Chimamirehisakata. They are a group that is determined to destroy those clans because of their abilities. They have already devastated a number of clans, including the Uchihas and the Kaguyas. All we can do is damage limitation." Her eyes moved around the teams. "You all have been chosen because of your experiences in other countries. Most of you have been under Orochimaru's command three years ago in the search for the tailed beasts, which is also why I asked you in particular. You have proven yourselves to get things done, even without a Jounin to guide you're actions." She gave each Jounin a list. "These are names of people in the book that was discovered by Uchiha Itachi. All these clans need to be informed that they could be in danger, and we are the only ones that can do that. Get ready, you leave tomorrow morning at dawn."


	3. Chapter 2: The Groups Depart

The Groups Depart

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

Orochimaru sighed as the group met at the exit to the Village. The boy named Sai was getting on everyone's nerves, even his own. The boy had given the majority of the group less than complimentary nicknames, and he wasn't afraid to use them. "Oi, Roses, what's up with Cradle Snatcher?" Sai shouted as he approached them. Orochimaru could see Kurama's eyes narrow. The kitsune had become even more protective over him than he had been before, and it wasn't just his red-haired Kurama either. On a number of occasions he had sworn that he had seen Youko Kurama's golden eyes only for him to take a second look and see green instead. It gave him a strangely comforting feeling to know that both sides of the person he loved was watching out for him. He couldn't help but wrap his arms around his kitsune.

"If only he knew who the real 'cradle snatcher' was, hmm?" Orochimaru whispered in Kurama's ear. "I believe that I remember your other half mentioning something about me being 950 years his junior." He smirked seeing Kurama blush. "I never thought that I would fall for an older partner." He got a playful slap for his joke. The slap was quickly followed by a kiss. Orochimaru's eyes fluttered closed, losing himself in the heat of the moment. That was until he heard someone clear their throat. His left eye opened, looking at the disturbance. He wasn't given the choice of pulling back as Kurama tightened his hold on the snake, deepening the kiss that the pair was sharing.

Once Kurama had proved that the relationship was equal once more, he released the Sannin from his grip, secretly smirking at Orochimaru's kiss-bruised lips. No matter what Orochimaru said or thought, their relationship was on an even keel. His gaze then moved to their annoyance. He wanted nothing more than to drag Orochimaru down the nearest dark alley, and he knew that his snake would willingly follow him. "What do you want?"

Itachi stared at the pair. He had never thought of Orochimaru as ever being able to stay in any relationship beyond his partner's 18th birthday, but the Sannin had proved him wrong. If anything the snake was more enamoured with the kitsune than ever before. It was for that reason that Tsunade had asked both ex-Akatsuki members to accompany the group. Somebody needed to keep the 'responsible' one's feet on the ground. "Tsunade asked us to accompany you." Itachi replied. "You do remember what the mission is, don't you? It wasn't a lesson in molesting someone either."

Kurama's eyes half-closed. "As if you wouldn't do the same." He said. "You are no different than we are." He said, referring to the shark-like man behind Itachi. "Care to explain why you are late, Uchiha Itachi?" The look on Itachi's face said it all. "I thought so." He turned away from the blushing Uchiha, towards the others, as though the kiss and the 'conversation' hadn't happened. "As you know we're going on a mission to inform the Clans on the lists that we were given about Chimamirehisakata." Kurama said, as though taking over the mission. "We need to fix a time that we should all meet up, or even to let other teams know of any success or failure. I can do that easily enough, but I cannot pass the same information onto you all."

"A number of Jounin can summon." Kakashi said. "If we pair a non-summoning team with a summoning one then we can back each other up. We will also be able to get messages back and forth without too much difficulty." Orochimaru nodded, agreeing with the silver-haired Jounin. "It seems like the most logical explanation."

"I must admit that never crossed my mind." Orochimaru said after a moment of silence. "It makes perfect sense too. So tell me, Kakashi-kun, whom would you pair up?" Everyone turned their attention to the Jounin.

'So this is what a deer feels like when faced with a pack of hungry wolves." Kakashi thought. He knew that he had to think carefully. "Well, I would pair Iruka up with you, Orochimaru." Kakashi said. "You are the oldest and most experienced out of all the Jounin here, and that isn't the only reason. I know through experience that Yusuke, Hiei and Shuichi work best as a team, and I am surprised that Tsunade hadn't them as a team as she had did when they sat the Chuunin exam together to accommodate that fact." Orochimaru gave him a 'she wouldn't dare take away Kurama' look. "Since Sai is an ANBU and we know about Gaara's automatic sand defence, we know that they can also take care of themselves. Since Fukuro is other wise disabled, you would need those that works well together to make up for him."

"Very well, which other teams would you pair up?" Orochimaru asked.

"Well, I'd place Sarutobi Asuma's team with Maito Gai's team, and Yuhi Kurenai with myself." Kakashi said. "That way all three teams have a member that can scout ahead without leaving the group."

"What about Kisame and myself?" Itachi asked. "You seem to have left us out of your equation."

"Actually I was getting around to you pair." Kakashi said. "I would pair you up with Orochimaru too. He and his team have a habit of getting into trouble." He couldn't help but laugh as Orochimaru scowled at him. However Orochimaru's attention was distracted by Kurama's laugh.

"What is it, love?"

"I know the real reason why he has put us with Iruka-sensei's team." Kurama said. "The great Hatake Kakashi thinks that he could kill Sai, and he wants us to do it instead, after all, most of us were once missing-nins." A green eye winked. "Don't worry, Kakashi-sensei, Sai will return in one piece." His eyes moved to Yusuke and Hiei. It was sad that the old Reikai Tantei team would never be together again, but it was Kuwabara's choice to return home.

"What's the matter, Fox?" Hiei asked as he and Yusuke approached Kurama.

"I guess I miss Kuwabara." Kurama said. "I just hope that he is okay." Yusuke laughed at that.

"Remember that you are talking about Sarayashiki Junior High's number two delinquent." Yusuke said. "I am sure that Kuwabara will be just fine. It's Eikichi I feel sorry for. She had to learn to put up with him after three years." Kurama smiled. "Anyway it looks as though we are going to be working together again. Won't that be fun?"

"I guess we shall have to drive all thoughts of teasing us out of his mind now." Hiei said, glaring at Sai, who he had started refering to as Kuwabara's replacement. "I swear that I will kill him if he starts calling me 'Shorty' again."

"You never killed Kuwabara." Kurama said. "Are you telling me that you actually liked him calling you 'Shorty' and every other name he could think of?" Kurama almost laughed when he saw Hiei blush. "Don't worry, Hiei, your little secret is safe with us. Kuwabara won't learn how much you miss him." The jibe hit it's mark and a laughing Kurama had to leap away from Hiei's well aimed attack. "Do you really want to spar with me, Hiei?" Kurama asked. "I have improved a hundred fold from when we first faced eachother in battle all those years ago."

"As if I haven't either. Back then I didn't have the dragon on my side, nor half of the abilities that I have gained since being here." Hiei smirked. "I think we are more of an even match than before, Fox, but if you really want proof, then we can fight if it pleases you."

"Boys, this is no time to measure the length of your dicks." Yusuke said as he saw Orochimaru moving to intercept the pair, more to protect his lover than to stop the fight, Yusuke guessed. "Jeez, and I thought that I was supposed to be the immature one." That brought the attention of both the posturing demons onto him. "Oh shit." Yusuke knew that he should have learned not to get between Hiei and anybody that he was facing.

"Shuichi, stop that." Orochimaru said, knowing that Kurama would do just that because he had been the one to ask. "You have to travel quite a distance, remember." Kurama stiffened when he heard that, heard the unspoken threat in the Sannin's voice. What Orochimaru had meant was that they had a long way to go, and it would feel a million miles longer if he had no way to sate his desires. He knew the devious snake would stick to his guns on that point too. Kurama had no intention of going that length of time without relieving himself of his lustful thoughts. Orochimaru smiled as he watched Kurama back down. His partner wasn't as stupid as to go against an indirect order from him, not since the last time anyway.

Hiei smirked at Kurama. It looked like the fox eas a kept demon now, not that he seemed to mind too much and Hiei was glad that he didn't have to fight the fox after all. Posturing or not, he knew that it would have ended up in a fight if neither of them had backed down, and if they fought, who knew who would win? In fact, it was highly possible that the fire apparition would lose a second time to the kitsune, after all he did spend a lot of time with a more experienced Jounin-level ninja, and it was almost a certainty that Orochimaru would have taught the fox a few of his own techniques. Now that Hiei had the chance to think, he realised just how foolish it would have been.

"We know what we have to do." Orochimaru said, his eyes looking over the group. "We have all been given our objectives that we have to accomplish, and we need to get them done as soon as we possibly can." He then frowned, remembering what he and his team had to do. It had to be the most boring of the missions given out that day. While the other teams had been ordered to tell the Clans about the threat, he and his team were ordered to help Uchiha Fukuro regain his memory by taking him to the place that he last remembered before his mind went blank, and that was the fateful mountainous land where he had lost the Hyuuga girl and gained the Mangekyo Sharingan. If that didn't work? Well, they would just have to carry on with their alternative plan and also seek out those that held Kekkai Genkais. Who knows, maybe Chimamirehisakata would somehow sense that they had some prime Kekkai Genkai-holding stock and atack them. The snake could only pray that it would be so.

"Yes, we know what we have to do, Orochimaru." Kurenai said impatiently. "When are we going?"

"Now?" The Sannin asked and a moment later and the groups went their separate ways. "Well, that didn't take too long." Orochimaru said. "Much less time than I thought it would, to be exact." He looked over 'his' group and sighed. At least it wasn't just the four of them; no instead there was ten. It made the group larger and less stealthy, but it also gave them backup when needed. Personally Orochimaru was quite happy to have the largest group out of the selection. It would suit his purposes better.

Iruka couldn't help but feel nervous. Not only was his team there, but also there was not one, not two but FIVE ex missing-nins there too. They were all powerful individuals, after all Kisame, Itachi and Orochimaru were classed as S-Class missing-nins. Fukuro was thought to have been killed, but would have gained S-Class status otherwise, as for Kurama, he would have been classed as either a C or and B-Class, due to his Kekkai Genkai, not because of the jutsus that he could perform. However that had changed since then. Tsunade had said that if he and Orochimaru ever left Konoha, then they would both be seen as S-Class missing-nins. 'How in the world am I supposed to beat them all if they decide to turn against Konoha at once?' The Jounin thought nervously. 'Five powerful ninjas against five weaker ones, we would stand no chance, especially with two Uchihas.' Iruka saw Kurama's eyes stare at him. 'Don't tell me he can read minds too!'

"Iruka-sensei, I wouldn't worry so much." Kurama said. "I doubt that your fears have much in the way of a foundation. Orochimaru isn't that bad, really. He is like me, as in when he has placed his loyalty in a person or a place; it takes a lot to break that loyalty. Currently I am loyal to both Konoha and to Orochimaru, but if forced to, I'll choose him. I have no doubt that he feels the same. If we are placated, then it's obvious that we won't be doing any betraying." The Jounin blushed. "I see that Youko's guess was correct. That kitsune is too good at times." Orochimaru looked at Kurama.

"What did he want?" Orochimaru asked, knowing that Youko Kurama rarely showed himself unless he was wanting something. He saw Kurama blush. "Come on, Shuichi, you can tell me." The blush deepened as Orochimaru walked over to the kitsune. "Come on." Orochimaru whispered in his ear. "Tell me, Shuichi-chan."

"I... he..." Kurama started, before hearing Kurama laigh in his mind. "He wanted... he asked me if he could... he wanted a view of your... of your... of your ass." Orochimaru chuckled.

"Surely if he was that desperate, he could have asked me, rather than embarassing you." Orochimaru smiled and kissed Kurama's neck. "Hear that, kitsune?" Gold eyes met gold. "So you do hear after all."

"Of course I do, and I intend to hold you to your word, snake." Youko's deep voice said. "Don't you dare think of denying me since you so kindly offered."

"As if I would. I knew that I would have to cater to your desires at some point, I just never knew that you were so fixated with my rump."

"I'll show you 'fixated with your rump' if you forget."

"Promises, promises. Let Shuichi out now." Gold eyes changed to green once more. "Okay, the first thing that we have to do, is to try to jog Uchiha Fukuro's memory. That means going back to this place." Orochimaru pulled out a map and pointed directly to the mountain where Fukuro's Chuunin team had been attacked. "With luck this could all be over soon."


	4. Group Kakashi's Mission

Group Kakashi's Mission

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

'I wonder how Iruka is.' Kakashi thought. 'I feel bad for teaming him up with Orochimaru, but he needs to learn how to work with other Jounins, and it was him that said that he was glad that Orochimaru was back.' The Jounin sighed as he returned 'Icha Icha' to his pouch. Because of his partner, he couldn't even concentrate on reading his book.

"Hey, dobe, doesn't Kakashi seem to be preoccupied?" Sasuke asked the blond as they watched their Jounin sensei's actions.

"Yeah, he does." Naruto said, agreeing with the Uchiha. "Sakura-chan, do you think that it's Iruka that worries Kakashi so much?"

"Of course I do." The pink-haired kunoichi said. She knew that the whole of the team was worried about the Jounin, especially as he rarely worried too much. "His boyfriend is currently with two of the most unpredictable teams, both have at least two missing nins in them. Wouldn't you be worried too?" She answered. "Iruka-sensei maybe good, however he, Yusuke and Hiei have their limits. None of us have really seen Kurama in action, although I have heard Yusuke and Hiei discussing him, or rather I asked about him."

"So tell us what they said, Sakura-chan." Naruto said. "We need to know."

"Well, they said that Kurama was the most intelligent of them, but was one of the weakest, but that was before he got involved with Orochimaru." She said. "It is possible that he has increased more than all of us because he has had a lot of one-on-one training while we have had to share a sensei. Personality wise, Kurama has two completely different personalities. The one that we see most often is almost totally opposite from the other one. The red-head is sweet and kind. The other one is much more difficult for people to get on with. You should know that, Sasuke-kun." Sasuke just nodded. He remembered all too well what the white-haired kitsune was like. "However he seems to be extremely loyal, and if he swears his loyalty, he wouldn't break it unless it stood against something he swore to before, or felt more strongly about. Like Orochimaru. If Orochimaru asked him to jump, he'd ask how high."

"Are you sure?" Sasuke asked.

"Are you blind? Of course he would. You've seen how he is around him. If Orochimaru told him to kill, then I have no doubt that he would do so, and most of all he would do it willingly." Sakura said. "Kurama is obsessed with him, and when someone is like that..." She shrugged. "I was like that with you, Sasuke-kun, the only difference is that he is getting a reward for it."

"I still don't see what Kurama sees in the snake bastard." Naruto said.

"Who knows, but the thing is that he does see something in him. He must overlook the fact that he's probably the oldest lover that Orochimaru has ever had." Sasuke said with a sigh. "I guess not everyone can hate him."

"I don't understand how Kurama could even contemplate lying beside him in bed, not speaking of other things." Naruto said. "Now I have that mental image in my head!"

Kurenai and her team watched the others. "Oi, Hinata, what are they saying?" Kiba asked the Hyuuga, who was blushing. "C'mon Hinata."

"They're... they're talking about Orochimaru-sensei and Shuichi-kun." Hinata said. "About them being in bed." The last was squeaked out. Although it was obvious that she wasn't a blushing virgin, she still couldn't get her mind around two males in a sexual relationship. Kurenai placed her hand on Hinata's shoulder.

Kurenai smiled. "Our concern is getting our mission done as soon as we can, not on chit-chatter from out allies. You were asked to take second watch at nights because of the Byakugan's thermal vision, just as Naruto is starting the first watch now. Get some rest." The Hyuuga nodded as she did just what her Jounin sensei said, turning in for the night, Kiba and Shino following suit. It was then that Kurenai walked over to her Jounin colleague. "Hey."

"Kurenai." Kakashi said as he watched Sakura leave for bed.

"Don't worry, I'm sure that he's fine." She said as she sat on the ground. "I believe that Orochimaru is a different person now. We would have noticed things if he was still up to his old tricks."

"No offence, Kurenai, but Orochimaru can overpower a number of ANBU at once. A Jounin like Iruka would stand no chance against him if he were acting the part of a Konoha ninja." Kakashi said. "I have no doubt that his… partner has the same strength as he does by now. Look at Mitarashi Anko; she was his last pupil in Konoha before he left. She is more than a little like his old self." The single eye closed. "I worry about Iruka because I remember what Orochimaru did before." Kurenai just nodded.

"Get some sleep, Kakashi." Kurenai said. "You're no help to anyone if you're exhausted, and your current priority is your team." She gave the other Jounin a push towards his bed. "I'll follow you soon." She winked when Kakashi turned suddenly. "Off you go."

Kiba woke the group up early the next morning, leaving the Jounins to last. "Kakashi-sensei, Kurenai-sensei, its dawn." Kiba said, hearing Akamaru bark in agreement. He looked inside the tent and saw Kurenai lying beside a sleeping Kakashi. "Sorry!" Kiba said, disappearing. A moment later, a horrified scream echoed through the camp.

The group travelled the whole day, and as the sun began to set they reached a village. They soon found an inn and settled down for the night.

They were woken by a horrified scream. "Give me back my baby!" It took only a second for the ninjas to find out where the shout had originated and they found a man and a young woman fighting over a crying baby. The man took one look at them and ran.

"Sasuke, Naruto, Kiba follow him." Kakashi said and the three Chuunin nodded and did as the group leader asked. Kakashi then turned his attention to the young woman. "Are you okay, miss?" The girl nodded.

"Thank you very much for helping me." She said, holding the baby as though her rescuers were going to steal him away. "I am so happy that you were here, or else I fear that my baby would have been stolen if you hadn't." Hinata smiled at her.

"My baby was stolen from me recently. I would hate for another mother to lose her child in the same way." The young Hyuuga said. "May I ask your name, please."

"My name is Inabikari Suiren." Surien said as she held the baby lovingly. "My son is named Akira. I am sorry that we woke you from your slumber." She turned to leave before Kakashi caught her arm.

"Please accompany us to the inn, Suiren-san." He said. "I need to check something, and I would prefer that you be there when I do." Surien nodded as she followed the ninjas to the inn. Kakashi unrolled the scroll and looked down the list before looking at Kurenai. "It is as I expected." He said. "I suggest that you go and hire some ninjas as soon as you possibly can. This will not be the last time that your son will be in this position. There is an organisation that we are currently investigating that is after those with Kekkai Genkais. You need to keep yourself safe for a while."

"Thank you for your warning." Surien said. "I shall have my husband send for ninja protection. Is that all, my son really should be in bed, and I would like to know that we are safe in our own home."

"Of course, please let us know if you are having any more problems." Kurenai said.

"Of course. Good night."

Ten minutes later and the boys returned. "How did it go?" Kakashi asked.

"Not good. The guy disappeared." Sasuke said, sounding grumpy. "It was as though he suddenly sprouted wings and flew away."

"Get some sleep, we'll have to give up for tonight." Kakashi said. "We'll ask about the town tomorrow to see if anyone knows anything about the man." with that the group turned into bed.


	5. Group Gai's Search

Group Gai's Search

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

"This is so troublesome."

"That's the spirit, Shikamaru-kun!"

Asuma sat against a tree. It had been a good idea that he had to pair the most energetic member of the group with the laziest. Maybe some of Rock Lee's enthusiasm for hard work would rub off on Shikamaru, that was his hope anyway. Shikamaru may be as lazy as anyone could be, but the boy was still a tactical genius. That was what made him special after all. From the other side of the clearing, he could see Gai cheering on his own student. If it was Chouji that was fighting then he could easily motivate him with barbecue when they got to the nearest town, but Shikamaru had no such weakness. He was too lazy to have a weakness. Asuma watched as Shikamaru made minimal effort yo block Lee's attacks. "Shikamaru, you're a ninja, act like one!"

"Come on, Shikamaru!" Ino shouted. "You can defeat him!" Asuma looked at the blonde. She was cheering him on from one of the trees that she climbed. "Shikamaru, move your ass or you'll let the team down!" That seemed to have a little more effect. It was funny how Shikamaru feared the Yamanaka's wrath more than being defeated. Maybe it was because she was female.

"That's enough for now." Asuma said after a few more minutes. "We have to get going." The spar came to a close. "We have to pull our weight on this mission. Kurenai and the others would expect no less of us." Ino leaped down from the branch that she was sitting on. "We aren't far from the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Wind. Right on the border is a town where we can find refuge in before crossing the border the day after. Before doing anything in the Land of Wind, it is only common curtesy that we pay a visit to Sunagakure and the Kazekage."

"May the Springtime of Youth carry us forth!" Gai and Lee exclaimed together. Asuma groaned. This was going to be a very long journey.

"Welcome, ninjas of Konoha." Kankuro said as the group entered the walls of Sunagakure. "The Kazekage has been expecting you." He led the way to Temari's office. He knocked on the door, and waited for Temari to say that he could enter. "The Konoha ninjas, Kazekage-sama."

"Thank you, Kankuro." Temari said as Kankuro left the ninjas in the room. "Welcome to Suna." She said. "Now what can I do for you?"

"We just came by to notify you that we are in your patch." Asuma said as Ino stuffed a gag in Gai's mouth. "We are currently on a mission, and I thought that it would be beneficial to Sunagakure to know what we are doing here."

"Hokage-sama said that I should expect to see a team or two." She said. "She said that you would tell me more when you actually arrived." She looked through some of the neatly stacked documents on her desk and handed it to Asuma when she locarted the document. Asuma took a moment to read it. Making sure that it was, indeed, Tsunade's handwriting.

"We are seeking those born of clans known for Kekkai Genkais to be present." Asuma said. "We need to get to them before a group known as Chimamirehisakata gets to them first. That group seems to be attacking them, and if possible, stealing away young children. In fact Hyuuga Hinata had her dughter stolen away recently." He explained. "Please warn those that are in your care about this new menace."

"Of course I shall." Temari said. "Although I haven't heard of anyone that has a Kekkai Genkai in the area, feel free to search."

"Thank you for your permission." Gai said pulling the gag out of his mouth. "May you always bloom in the Springtime of Youth!" Ino quickly replaced the gag again and stuffed a second one in Lee's mouth for good measure.

"Please take care, I shall send a guard of Suna ninjas with you to make sure that you are safe." Temari said. "Kankuro!" The puppet master entered the room. "Make a team of Suna nins and have them escort the Konoha nins about. We don't need any of them to be injured in out land, do we?"

"Of course not, Kazekage-sama." Kankuro said. "I shall return shortly." With that the puppet master left the chamber.

He returned shortly later with his chosen team. "Come along, strangers." Kankuro said. "The people of the Land of Wind are often suspicious of strangers, so with us there with you, you're more likely to get what you seek."

"Thank you for the assistance." Asuma said as they left the Kazekage's office.

"Sand and Leaf are allies. It wouldn't do us any favours if we left you without guides. The desert surrounding Suna is difficult for strangers to transverse through without a guide. Anyway I want to know how my little brother is." Kankuro said as they met up with his selected team. "So who is looking after him now?" He opened his canteen and started to drink some of the water."

"Orochimaru." Asuma said before getting an unexpected shower.

"You let that snake bastard get his hands on Gaara?!" Kankuro shouted. "What is the Hokage thinking?"

"Your brother has learned more from Orochimaru than he would have done from most of the other Jounins Konoha has, even if he played second fiddle to Orochimaru's boyfriend." Asuma said. "I believe that Tsunade was right in placing him with Orochimaru. She is rarely wrong about things like this." Asuma wiped the water from his face. "Trust the Hokage on this. Your brother will be much stronger when he returns home after being trained by one of the Legendary Sannins."

Kankuro growled under his breath. Did Konoha really trust missing nins so easily? "I guess we have to trust your Hokage on that." He said eventually. "Although I will be telling Temari once we return." He looked at the others. "I guess the first stop is Sabakubara." He threw each a full canteen. "Our little journey starts now."


	6. Group Orochimaru's Revelation

Team Orochimaru's Revelations

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

Ten shadows leaped from tree to tree. "There is a good clearing up ahead." The leader said, as they got closer to his choice of destination. "We can camp there for the night and carry on tomorrow." The leader's eyes closed, loving the feel of the wind on his face. Night was falling fast, and soon they would set up camp. He couldn't wait.

It took a few minutes before they reached the clearing, and when they did, they immediately started to set up camp. Everyone pulling their share, and they soon had the camp ready. Kurama leaned against a tree, eyes closed in thought, wondering how he came to be there when he felt a pair of lips press against his. Only one person would surely dare to do that.

Orochimaru felt his beloved's arms embrace him, holding him close, his arms embracing Kurama's body in return, deepening the kiss. Then he gasped into the other's mouth as he felt his lover's hands slide under the waistband of his pants, stroking his ass before the fingers started to tease the ring of muscle at his entrance. This was something new; Kurama had never been one to take the initiative before. The unusual behaviour was strangely arousing. Orochimaru's head moved to lie on Kurama's shoulder as he continued the administrations, not even flinching as a finger invaded his body. What did bring him out of his sexual stupor was his head lying against a well-defined chest.

'Wait a minute, Kurama isn't that tall.' Orochimaru thought. 'There is no chance that this is him, so who could it be?' Then his eyes snapped open. 'It can't be!' He saw white cloth below his head, and pale, milky skin. 'It's him. Great. Can the day get any worse?' He felt a second finger push inside. 'Scrap that, I think he's planning to fuck me!' His hand immediately gripped Youko's tail, bringing a growl from the other's lips. "I'm sorry." Orochimaru said, stroking the fur in apology. "I didn't want to hurt you, but I hoped that the touch would cause you some pleasure."

Itachi returned to the camp with his fish. He and Kisame had spent a while collecting the group's dinner, and he went to report his return to Orochimaru and Kurama. Iruka pointed him in the general direction where Orochimaru had disappeared to, and he followed the other Jounin's directions. It was a growl that caught his attention and he followed it. The sight that he saw made him blush. He had never thought that he would ever see the Snake Sannin like that, not since Orochimaru had spent the best part of three years chasing after him. Itachi cleared his throat, bringing Youko's attention to him. "Sorry for bothering you." Itachi said before leaving. He needed to track down Kisame as soon as he could. His shark wouldn't believe what he had just witnessed.

Youko smirked as he watched the other male leave. Once he had his way with the snake, he would want no other. "He's gone now, my dear snake." Youko said, returning his attention to Orochimaru's frame. "Now, where were we?" A second finger joined the first.

'Itachi, why did you leave?' Orochimaru thought, trying to ignore the fact that he knew just how he now seemed. He would have enjoyed this more had it have been his chosen lover. It was only then that Orochimaru actually thought of what he could do to get out of his sticky situation. The hand that had been stroking the tail returned to Youko's ass. 'There is only one thing for it.' It took a second for Orochimaru's hand to slide below the waistband of Youko's pants and roughly push three fingers into the fox's ass. The result was immediate. Youko gave a yelp of surprise and his hands flew to his ass. Orochimaru took the chance to run back towards the camp, Youko quickly on his tail.

The kitsune didn't try that hard to beat Orochimaru, he could easily have caught him with plants if he did, no the kitsune wanted him to believe that he was safe. It made what would happen later even more overpowering. He arrived at the camp a moment after the Sannin just in time to hear that he was going to be on watch, with Iruka no less. The look on Orochimaru's face was that of relief. 'The night is still young, snake-man.'

The two ninjas sat quietly in the darkness of the forest. "So tell me about yourself." Two golden orbs moved to rest on the Jounin. "I know about Shuichi, but he is only a fraction of you, isn't he?"

"You could say that." Youko said. "I am much older than he is. Older and much more powerful." He could see Iruka tense up. "Do you really want to know about me, Iruka-sensei?" Iruka hesitated for a moment before nodding. "You had your chance to back away, little dolphin." A gentle breeze blew through the trees, making the kitsune's hair move about. "My past isn't pleasant, not from start to present. Bloodshed and agony fills a big part."

'Why do I suddenly feel like running away?' Iruka asked himself. "Please continue."

"Very well. I guess it started when I was a cub, I watched as my entire family was killed. The murderers then took me as a slave. Young white and silver kitsunes are prized in areas of the world where I originated in. You can understand that I didn't remain in their hands for very long. I was bought by a wealthy demon, who wanted me as a... pet." The last word was spat out angrily. "A thief broke into my so-called master's home and stole me away. Only later did I realise that he was also a kitsune. That kitsune became almost like a father to me, teaching me a lot of the things I know. However I surpassed him in the end."

"What happened to him?" Iruka asked.

"Even to this day, I do not know for sure." Youko said. "I searched for him for many years, but in the end I had to give up. I turned to using the skills that I had been taught to survive. I worked perfectly fine until I met another demon thief named Kuronue. I was intrigued the moment I laid eyes on him. He was older and more experienced, and took me under his wing, so to speak. Alone, our abilities were... incomplete, but together and we filled each other's weaknesses. We quickly became inseparable. That was until he was killed on a 'job'." Iruka looked at the forest floor. "We had completed it; however, as we were escaping, his necklace snapped. He went back for his pendant and he was killed by bamboo." The kitsune's attention returned to the trees. "I met Yomi not long after. He was almost caught during a raid of his and I helped him out. He ended up sticking to me like glue. I guess he worshipped me or something. Anyway after a while things began to change. He started to disobey me, and that cost lives. I couldn't count the number of times that I had to save him. The only thing left for me to do was to cut the ties that bound us together." The gold eyes looked directly into brown. The brown eyes widened as though they had just caught what the kitsune was hinting. "I gave him a little parting present." Iruka could feel a cold touch move up his spine. "Let's just say that it was a present that he was just dying to see."

That was too much for Iruka, he thought that Orochimaru was bad, but this guy was worse! Without warning Iruka ran off into the trees. "Gotta run!" Iruka screamed as he ran into the night. Youko gave the ninja a bit of a head start before he took off after him. He quickly caught up and grabbed Iruka by his pants. "Let me go!" Iruka shouted as Youko dragged him back to where they had sat.

"You asked me to tell you about myself." Youko said, dropping him back on the stone. "That was very impolite of you to run away, you know." He sat beside Iruka. "I spent the next thousand years working alone. That way I wouldn't be let down by anyone other than myself. I was rarely let down, apart from 22 years ago when I was actually caught. I chose the boy, Shuichi, as my 'vessel'. You see, I was planning on leaving the world of humans the moment that I regained my strength, and I wanted a body that would suit me, not only intellectual, but who would have exceptional beauty."

'Vain creature.' Orochimaru thought from the trees where he was overhearing the conversation. 'Then again if it wasn't for his vanity, then I wouldn't have my Kurama.' The thought greatly amused the Sannin. His Kurama was nowhere nearly as vain as this creature was. He could imagine what Youko's fox form would be like. There was almost no doubt that he would have sleek silvery white fur from head to tail. Beautiful, soft and silky fur… he had to break that chain of thought before he would regret it. He knew that if he were not careful then Youko would be able to sense him. What he didn't know was that Youko Kurama already knew that he was there.

A small smile graced Youko's lips as he 'listened' to the plants. 'He obviously isn't tired of me yet.' He thought as he sent a small tendril of energy towards the Sannin, and his smirk turned into a feral grin when he heard the yelp.

Youko wasn't the only one to hear the yelp. Iruka heard it too, and the source of it was puzzling to him. However Youko got to his feet. "Where are you going?" Iruka asked.

"Oh, please excuse me, Iruka-sensei." Youko said, the smirk returning to his face. "I have some… business to take care of." The kitsune's tail waved slightly. "I'll be back as soon as it is complete." He then walked off into the forest, towards the struggling Sannin. "Orochimaru-sama." His soft voice said as it floated through the trees. "Are you so desperate for our earlier actions to continue?"

Orochimaru froze when he heard the soft voice. Then he fought harder against the grass around his ankles, breaking free just as he saw Youko's form. He then ran for it. 'I outran him before, I can do so again!' Orochimaru thought until he felt hot breath on his neck. 'Shit, this wasn't supposed to happen!'

Iruka couldn't help but feel relieved when Youko left, however he felt bad because his 'problem' had moved onto somebody else. 'I wonder who Youko is bothering now.' Iruka thought, then he saw a flicker of white out of the corner of his eye. Youko was clearly chasing something, and the ninja took a moment before he saw that it was Orochimaru. He watched as a vine tried to snare the snake, but Orochimaru avoided it, disappearing from view once more, Youko following quickly behind him. A few minutes later and a loud scream penetrated the air. That was too much for the Jounin and he ran back to the camp to get some comfort from somebody. He didn't care who it was, and he didn't care if he had to waken the rest of the camp to do so.

Itachi was half asleep when he felt himself being shaken awake. "Kisame, not tonight!" He grumbled as he pushed his annoyance away. "Go back to bed." He felt it again and he opened his eyes. "Kisame, I warned you…" He then saw that it wasn't the shark, instead it was a, very scared, Umino Iruka. "Iruka what's wrong?" He asked, and then he felt the Jounin throw himself against his chest, hugging him for all he was worth. He listened in silence as Iruka told him everything that he had witnessed. "Oroka hibe." Itachi muttered under his breath. "He hasn't changed much since he left Akatsuki all those years ago." He tried to prise the Jounin off, but he only clung on tighter. "Iruka, I can't breath!"

"Sorry." Iruka said as he let Itachi go. "What did you mean about him not having changed much?"

"He still falls for traps as he used to. His partner in Akatsuki, Sasori, used to set traps for him all the time, and even though Orochimaru knew that they were there, he still walked into them. I remember him crying like a girl to get freed." Itachi then took a moment to think. "There was this one time that Sasori was wanting to try out a new type of control over his puppets. He had Orochimaru to... err... model for him." He remembered the sight that he and Kisame had witnessed all those years ago. How Sasori had 'crucified' the snake Sannin. "Anyway I think his karma finally caught up with him."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, he always did like molesting younger boys, Iruka, even you must know that. His karma just kicked him in the ass, or rather stuck three fingers up there." Itachi laughed quietly. "This time he is the younger one being used and abused. I'll give him half an hour, and if the fox still isn't done with him, I'll go and put a stop to it." He then saw the door of the tent being pushed open. "There you are." Itachi said as Kisame stopped in his tracks. "You haven't seen a fox and a snake cavorting on your journey have you?" Kisame shrugged and walked to his sleeping bag, grumbling. "Don't worry, I'm sure that they won't be much farther than where you left them."

"Can I stay here tonight?" Iruka whimpered. "I don't want to be anywhere near that kitsune!" Itachi nodded and Iruka gave a shout of happiness.

"I'll take over the rest of your shift and do mine. Luckily I told that I'm the shift after yours." Itachi said. "Get some rest."

"Thank you, Itachi-san." Iruka said as Itachi vacated his bag, allowing Iruka to take his place.

"This started off as a game, Orochimaru-chan." Youko said as a hand roamed down Orochimaru's naked body. "However after your little play for power, I think you need to be taught a lesson." Youko smirked as he got a glare from the Sannin, his mouth having been gagged by a vine. "Aren't I lucky that you are bound like this? I do believe that if you were free, I wouldn't be able to do much, even if my other half is your beloved lover." He walked behind his captive, seeing the muscles bulge as though to fight his control. "Such a beautiful body. Had you been in the world I originated from, I would have taken you without a second thought." Orochimaru screamed through the vine when he felt Youko Kurama roughly push three fingers inside him. "How does it feel, Orochi-chan?" Youko licked the back of Orochimaru's neck. "Does it feel as good to you as it did to me?" His teeth grazed Orochimaru's shoulder. "You know what I'm going to do now, don't you?" He had the vine in Orochimaru's mouth retract. "I want to hear you scream."

Orochimaru knew too well what the kitsune intended. He knew that fighting Youko's control now would just lead to more pain and misery on his part, however he didn't have to be a willing party. "I hate you."

"That wasn't what you were thinking before we found out about your lies five years ago." Youko said. "Back then all you wanted was my body. You had the desire, but lacked the ability to fulfil that desire. I don't have such a problem. I take what I want by any means at my disposal." A moment later and Orochimaru was brought to his hands and knees. Youko suddenly paused. "It looks as though I have less time than I thought." He said quietly. Orochimaru didn't know what he meant, but he didn't know whether to be happy or afraid. The question was soon answered when he felt Youko roughly thrust into his body, making Orochimaru scream in pain. The kitsune hadn't even used any lubrication to make it easier. "Your scream is like music to my ears."

The attack was quick and violent. The only thing that Orochimaru could do was to cry and dig his nails into the ground as his body was violated repeatedly. He screamed so much that his voice was hoarse, and cried so much that he doubted that he could cry any more. Youko gave one last, violent, thrust and spilled his seed deep within the Sannin's body. "Just in time." Youko said, kissing the back of Orochimaru's neck. "Goodbye Orochi-chan." It took a moment for Orochimaru to realise what had been said, and by then he realised that Youko was no longer present, and he had been released from the plants that bound him. Not only that, but he had a heavy weight leaning on him.

Kurama's eyes opened, before he realised what was happening, and what Youko had done. Quickly he pulled back from Orochimaru when he realised what had happened. "Orochimaru!" Kurama said as he pulled the Sannin against his body, trying to offer him a small amount of comfort. "I'll kill him." He growled as he held Orochimaru tightly against him. "I'll bloody kill him." A moment later and he disappeared inside his mind before he confronted the kitsune.

"Youko Kurama, you do remember what I told you, don't you?" Kurama asked his other self. "I told you to keep your paws to yourself, and you couldn't even do that. I think you need punished." A moment later and a gold-looking collar and chain appeared around Youko's neck. "Your punishment is to be bound tightly and be my own little battery." Youko snarled as he tried to pull the collar off. "It won't work, not this time. It's specially designed for you in mind. I'll talk with you later." With that, Kurama left the howling fox in his mind.

Kurama's eyes moved to the trembling body in his arms. He hated to see anybody cry, especially his Orochimaru. Nobody deserved to be treated the way that Youko had treated him. Kurama looked around, using plants to locate and bring Orochimaru's clothing to him. He gently dressed his lover, taking care not to aggravate his lover's aching ass further. "I'm taking you back to the camp." He said simply as he lifted Orochimaru gently. "Everything will be fine, I promise you."

It took Kurama little time for him to get back to the camp, seeing Itachi on guard. 'Has it really been that long?' Kurama thought as he gave Itachi a slight nod as he passed him. "Youko won't be returning to his shift, neither will I." Kurama said. "I have greater things to worry about at the moment." His gaze moved to the man in his arms. "I'm sure that you understand." Itachi just nodded as Kurama disappeared into the tent that he and Orochimaru shared.

'Maybe I should have gone as soon as Iruka came to me.' Itachi thought. 'Maybe I could have prevented all this from happening.'

Kurama gently laid Orochimaru on the bag before removing the clothing to inspect the damage caused to his lover by his other half. "I'm sorry, this could hurt a bit." Kurama said, brushing hair out of Orochimaru's eyes. Kurama took some seeds out of his hair and used some of Youko's youki to make the seeds grow. He then pulled out a pestle and mortar to grind the leaves down, and then to the plants he added some massage oil that they had taken with them. Mixing them, they created an unpleasant-looking mixture. Already tired of grinding, the kitsune used more of Youko's energy to do the job that the grinding was to do. Sap mixed with oil to give a more fragrant mixture than what he had been given before. Kurama took a second bowl and filtered the unwanted material out, leaving the oil and the sap, the part that would be doing the healing. If treated right, it would have been identical to Tsunade's own healing salve, however neither really cared about that, only about the effects that it would have on helping Orochimaru's body to heal from the attack.

"What are you planning on doing now?" Orochimaru asked, guarded. He knew that he could trust Kurama, but he had to know.

"Something invasive." Kurama said. "The moment that you feel in the least bit uncomfortable, tell me." It didn't sound like a request; it sounded more like an order. Green eyes met gold. "Promise me that you'll tell me." Orochimaru only nodded. Kurama encouraged plants to slowly approach Orochimaru's ass, and the thought of the flora entering his body made the other whimper, when he felt the leaves push inside, he could feel the internal wounds opening again. Kurama could see the discomfort in the other's eyes, however he remembered how Orochimaru treated him with his own version of kindness, now he had to do the same for his lover. Again using a flood of youki, the sap held within the plants exploded inside Orochimaru's body, making Orochimaru yelp in shock. A kiss soothed Orochimaru's shock. "Sit up, love."

Orochimaru did so, and the moment that he did, he could feel the liquid flood from his body, and he leaned against his kitsune. Kurama held Orochimaru close as he watched as the contents that had stuck to his beloved's insides get removed. At least now he could take note of what the possible damage could be, and he saw a lot of blood mixed with the sap and semen. "Kurama-kun, please, I need you to heal me." Orochimaru whispered in Kurama's ear. "Please, I need you to do this so very much." Kurama pulled back slightly and kissed Orochimaru. He could feel the desperation in the kiss as Orochimaru pressed harder against him, even though he was bruised and hurting. He was the one to pull back from the kiss. "Let me tend to your wounds. It would be better if you were on your hands and knees for this."

Orochimaru was reluctant, however he knew that Kurama wouldn't force him into doing something that he was uncomfortable with. He forced his body to relax as Kurama dribbled some of the oil onto his back and slowly rubbed the oil into the skin. He started at the shoulders and slowly worked down Orochimaru's back, feeling every muscle slowly relax. Suddenly Kurama stopped. "What's wrong?" Orochimaru mumbled sleepily. "What's the matter?"

"I've run out of back to do." Kurama said with a gentle smile.

"I want more." Orochimaru said, wanting more of the loving contact that the kitsune had given him. The kitsune's hand slowly caressed the white skin, hesitantly getting closer to Orochimaru's ass. He knew that Orochimaru wouldn't just say that he wanted something to please Kurama; no he would only say it if that was, indeed, what he desired. Kurama pulled back his hand and smeared some of the salve over his fingers. "Please." Orochimaru said, breathlessly. He couldn't believe the need that he felt for his lover to touch him, to take him. He now understood what Kurama felt that night so long ago.

Kurama gently touched his fingers to Orochimaru's opening. Before he could do anything, Orochimaru pressed back against the fingers, impaling himself with a hiss of pain. Kurama tried to pull his fingers out, but stopped when Orochimaru ordered him to. Instead he slowly pushed them back in, making the Sannin moan happily. "Feel better?" Orochimaru nodded as Kurama removed his fingers, making him protest. "More oil." Kurama whispered into Orochimaru's ear. "We do want you to get better quickly, don't we?" He couldn't help but lick Orochimaru's neck when he heard Orochimaru's answer. "My gorgeous snake, we shall have you back to full working order before you know it."

Kurama was the first to waken the next day. He smiled at the sleeping Sannin who was sleeping with his head on Kurama's chest. Slowly he rolled Orochimaru onto his back, so not to waken his sleeping lover, and dressed. He left the tent and saw that the others were beginning to pack up. Then they turned to Kurama as though he held all the answers. "Aren't you ready to go yet? Itachi asked the redhead.

"No, not yet." Kurama said. "Orochimaru is exhausted, and I don't want to waken him. If you all go on ahead, we will catch up with you later." Iruka opened his mouth to object. "Iruka-sensei, please don't object. You have very little idea as to how Orochimaru is feeling." Kurama said harshly. "I may not be a Jounin, but I am his lover." With that the kitsune went back into the tent, returning to the position that he had woken up in, including returning Orochimaru to his original position, making the snake snuggle closer. Kurama pushed the ebony locks away from Orochimaru's face and smiled. Orochimaru looked so peaceful when asleep, Kurama's hand stroked down Orochimaru's side, to his hip and back up.

"Next time, tell me if you're going somewhere." Orochimaru said.

"Sorry, love." Kurama said as Orochimaru raised himself slightly. "I didn't want to waken you." His arms wound themselves around Orochimaru's neck, keeping the Sannin close. "Anyway we have all the time in the world. I sent the others on ahead." A leg moved around the Sannin's waist, dropping hints to what the kitsune wanted. Hints that Orochimaru would never miss.

Orochimaru's teeth grazed the skin of Kurama's neck. At first all he wanted to do was to bite and place a cursed seal there, but that had all changed. The kitsune had stolen his mind and his heart, and in return he had a gorgeous, loyal, partner. Someone that he would never sacrifice, no matter what he was offered. He moved to lie between Kurama's legs. "Please, I need you, Orochimaru-sama." The kitsune thrust his hips upwards, making sure that the snake Sannin knew that he was serious. Their erections rubbed against the others, when Orochimaru pulled away. "Orochimaru-sama." Kurama whines. "I want more." However Orochimaru stayed back. "Please, Orochimaru-sama!" Kurama said, seeing a fire on Orochimaru's eyes.

"Show me how much you want me." The snake Sannin said, lust filling his voice. "Show me and then I'll decide." His hungry gaze was glued to Kurama's body.

'So he wants a show.' Kurama thought. 'I'll give him such a show that he will have to give me what I want.' He moved to sit in front of Orochimaru. 'I'll show him just how good I am.' His eyes met Orochimaru's, and licked his lips. He could see that the Sannin's hands were closed. Kurama's hands started at his neck, at the place where Orochimaru's teeth had grazed the skin, and they then glided over the skin on his chest, before they rested against his nipples. He spent some time playing with them before he carried on with his plan.

'I knew that this was a bad idea.' Orochimaru thought as he watched his lover's hands slide down his body. He wanted the kitsune right there, but he forced himself to stop. However he couldn't stop the small moan when Kurama's right hand wrapped around his cock.

"What's the matter, Orochimaru-sama?" Kurama asked as he stroked himself. "You look a little… flustered." His tongue licked his lips as he batted his eyelashes to add extra effect. He could see the Sannin's hands clench tighter. "Orochimaru-sama?" That time, the tone was lower and more flirtatious. 'So close, only a little more and he'll be mine!' He moved to be on his hands and knees, parading his body in front of Orochimaru, however that wasn't the only thing; following his mental command, the rose in his hair transformed into his rose whip, without the thorns. "Watch, Orochimaru-sama. Watch as I perform just for you." The whip crawled along Kurama's back before it sought out his entrance, and once it found what it sought, it impaled the kitsune in a single thrust, making the redhead moan.

The sight of the whip moving in and out of the kitsune's body entranced Orochimaru. He couldn't take the tempting sight much longer and he dragged the whip out, plunging his cock into the abandoned hole, making both himself and the whimpering kitsune moan. Neither of the participants lasted long. It was the kitsune who came first, his muscles clamping around Orochimaru's hard length, making the snake join him soon after.

It took them a while before they became aware of a muffled shout of 'Springtime of Youth'. Orochimaru's eyes shot open and he saw Kakashi and Gai staring at them. The Sannin's angry shouts could be heard half a mile away.


	7. Memories Remembered

Memories Remembered

Disclaimer: See chapter one

Orochimaru and Kurama smirked at the two Jounins, who were lying on the ground. Neither of them had taken to being watched kindly, and the two Jounins got the brunt of their frustration. They had learned that the others had all met up not that long after the rest of the group left, and that they had all returned to get them.

"Gai sensei, please stop trying to speak" Lee said as he tried to wire Gai's jaw, however the Jounin was having none of it. "Please, Gai-sensei, you'll regret not doing so later!"

Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura looked at their downed sensei. "Iruka-sensei, do you think that he's... dead?" Sakura asked, staring at the unmoving form. "Do you think that the last punch did it?" Iruka walked up to a long stick and picked it up. He then poked Kakashi, who sat up with a yelp.

"No, Sakura, I believe that he is very much alive." Iruka said before grabbing Kakashi's collar and lifting him off of the ground. "You perverted ninja, how could you just stand there and watch them!" Kakashi hadn't expected Iruka to shout at him, and he winced every time the younger man opened his mouth.

"You ready to go?" Orochimaru asked. "If you need more time then we can tell them to go on ahead." Kurama only smiled as Orochimaru's arms tightened around the young man nestled on his lap. "We can stay here for days if you would rather."

"No, we started out together, we need to finish together." Kurama said before he kissed Orochimaru. "You just want me in bed again." Orochimaru chuckled at the kitsune's blunt words. "I know you too well Orochimaru-sama." Hiei and Yusuke almost choked when they heard Kurama's flirtatious tone. Orochimaru licked Kurama's cheek.

"As though you mind." Orochimaru said in reply. "However, if you wish that we carry on today, then we can. Let me know if your ass gets sore." He lowered his head to Kurama's ear and whispered something that Yusuke and Hiei couldn't catch, but it made Kurama's face turn as red as his hair, the hand rubbing his ass having almost as much effect as the words. Orochimaru's eyes watching the effects as they occurred.

"Oi, snakes for brains, when are we going?" Sai shouted. "We have a long distance to travel today and the longer we remain here, nursing your lover's ass, the longer we have to travel." Sai was anxious for the mission to continue so that they could return to Konoha as soon as they could. 'Am I the only one that remembers the mission?' He thought. 'Snakes for brains is supposed to be our leader, yet he isn't doing much in the way of leading. Sannin or not, he has a funny way of working.'

Eventually the group started to leave the area, allowing Orochimaru to take the lead once more. The group travelled further until Orochimaru stopped in his tracks, giving a slight yelp. Kurama's arm snaked around Orochimaru's waist. "What seems to be the matter, Orochimaru-sama?" He asked quietly. "See something that scared you, or maybe it actually excited you." A slight blush coloured the pale cheeks.

"What's the matter with him?" Yusuke asked when Kurama left Orochimaru's side.

"Oh, nothing that he can't handle." Kurama said with a smile. "He is just fascinated with vine-like flora at the moment." His eyes closed as he smiled. Hiei raised an eyebrow and said no more. Yusuke on the other hand couldn't take the hint.

"C'mon, fox, spill it." Yusuke said. "You know you want to." Hiei quickly moved away from the vicinity of the kitsune. He couldn't believe that Yusuke had asked for details. The fox had been subtle enough, why couldn't the half-breed learn that asking Kurama for details, meant sickening descriptions? It didn't take long for the dark haired half demon to make his escape, back to the, relative, safety of his half-Koorime.

"Why won't you learn? Kurama never changes. It's best to make do with the subtle hints." Hiei said.

"But I was curious!" Yusuke exclaimed. "I never expected him to go into such detail!" Hiei snickered at the other's comments. "I honestly thought that he would behave!"

"You're the one that didn't behave." Hiei said. "Kurama and Orochimaru's private lives are their own. The don't need anyone interfering in it." The Koorime looked at Yusuke from the corner of his eye. "On the other hand, you have your own private life to worry about." Before Yusuke could ask, Hiei disappeared in a black blur. Damn that speedy apparition!

"We're almost there." Fukuro said as the group followed him instead of Orochimaru. "I remember this outcropping…" Suddenly the eldest Uchiha froze, a shiver running down his back. He could see things as clearly as he could on that fateful day. The 'sight' made him scream. It was Sai that approached Fukuro and touched his shoulder in an awkward sign of comfort. What the ANBU didn't expect was for the Uchiha to throw himself into his arms.

"You remember something?" Iruka asked. "Please tell us." Sharingan eyes met brown, before moving around the rest of the group.

"Leave me alone!" He screamed, until Itachi revealed his own Sharingan eyes. "Uchiha? Who are you?"

"Bring yourself back to the present." Itachi snapped. "I'm your younger brother, Itachi, and the moody one beside the blond is your baby brother, Sasuke." The middle Uchiha wanted to slap his older brother silly. "You're a grown man, act it." It was then that Itachi did slap his brother. The slap brought Fukuro out of his memories. "Now Umino Iruka asked you a question. What do you remember?" The eldest Uchiha hid behind Sai. "Tell me!"

Fukuro whispered something into Sai's ear. "You're scaring him, Itachi." Sai said. "He doesn't want to speak with anybody but…" Fukuro whispered something else into Sai's ear "… Orochimaru about the directions." The Uchiha blushed when he looked over at the Sannin. The look made Kurama jealous, and he wrapped an arm around the Sannin's waist protectively. The look that he gave the Uchiha said 'touch him and you'll suffer a fate worse than death'. Sai looked over his shoulder at the Uchiha. "Orochimaru-sensei and Shuichi-kun are together." Sai explained. "They are both protective over each other. Shuichi defected from Konoha to follow Snakes For Brains. They were dragged back to Konoha a few years ago. They have been together as partners ever since." Fukuro gave a sad sigh. "Hey, don't give up on love. Your perfect person could be just around the corner." Sai gave a crooked smile. "Let happy demons be."

"I… I guess you're right." Fukuro said. "What about you? Are you with anyone?"

"I haven't found anyone worth my time." Sai said. "I'm still waiting for my special person to appear." He paused for a moment. "Maybe we could search for our special people together?" The Uchiha blushed and nodded. "Good!"

"See, you don't have anything to worry about." Orochimaru said as the kitsune relaxed. "He has another to shower with affection now." He felt teeth scrape against his skin, before they stopped over the pulse point. For a moment he doubted what his fox would do until he felt he felt the fox beginning to suck on the skin making the Sannin moan in encouragement.

"Don't keep making me repeat this." Kurama said. "You make me so jealous."

"Over him? I should be the one that's jealous. He had you before I did, and that angered me."

"But… but that's totally different!" Kurama said, blushing. "He abused my body! You are playing with his mind, making him…" Orochimaru covered Kurama's lips with his fingers.

"Maybe I should make it clear just who belongs to me." Orochimaru said, licking the Kitsune's neck. "I should place my own mark right here," He kissed his chosen spot. "What do you say, Kurama? Want me to do it?" He whispered before kissing the spot again, making Kurama moan. He took that as a sign to continue and did so. When he pulled back, Kurama's neck supported his own 'love bite', however his one had two parallel marks running in the skin, the mark of snake-like fangs.

"Orochimaru-sama." Kurama moaned as his hand moved to his neck, covering the mark. Orochimaru pulled the hand away before licking the twin wounds.

"I couldn't help myself. That was as deep as I dared to go, at least for now." The voice was more like a hiss than human speech. "You belong to us both, not just to my human half. However I am much more interested in that fox that you have inside than you." Orochimaru's eyes met Kurama's, but instead of gold, they were blood red. "In the end you both will belong to us."

"Mamushi, that is enough." Naruto said. "Do you really want to scare him?" The voice was deeper than Naruto's, even though it was said from the same body. 'Orochimaru's' head turned quickly at the sound of the voice.

"Seiryoku, please keep your muzzle out. I do not interfere in your affairs, no matter if I find it… distasteful." The two pairs of crimson eyes met. "Or are you just jealous that a member of your brethren curls up against me at night? Maybe it goes deeper than that?" A grin spread over the snake's face. "Maybe you wanted my lover and your advances were spurned." The snake released Kurama and ducked under the kitsune's attack. "Are you so desperate to turn to one of your own descendants?"

The other ninjas just stared at the two demons as they fought. Although they all knew that Naruto and Orochimaru played host to the two most powerful of the tailed beasts, they had never thought that they would ever play witness to a fight between the pair. "They certainly haven't changed." Gaara said.

"What do you know about them?" Kurama asked as he got to safety. "About Seiryoku and Mamushi I mean."

"Only what the Shukaku, Sunahara, knows." Gaara said. "Out of all the tailed beasts that two are both the closest and most powerful. When together as allies, their influence is great. However that is rare. Their beliefs differ greatly; Seiryoku believes in strength while Mamushi believes in intelligence. Those differences draw them together when needed, but also splits them apart." Gaara sighed. "I guess they're like siblings. They can't live with each other, and yet they can't live without the other either."

Eventually the pair stopped fighting and grinned at each other. "It's nice to see that you're still so hot tempered, my friend." Mamushi said. "The world would be such a boring place otherwise." He laughed when he saw the glare that was sent in his direction. "Now, now, there's no need for such a heated glare. Maybe you're jealous of my lover because he's stopping you from making use of my ass."

"Believe me, Mamushi, I doubt that people are interested in the sexual activity of your ass. I'm only surprised that you haven't been tied to the bed, after all you always were known for your promiscuous nature." The kitsune said. "Anyway it's _you_ that has the kitsune fascination." A smirk crossed Seiryoku's face. "Maybe you have a case of the green eyed monster, not me." He turned his back and wriggled his ass. "Come and get it." A moment later and he gave a yelp when a foot connected with his rear.

"Keep your ass out of my boyfriend's face." Kurama snarled. "You have Uchiha Sasuke at your beck and call, you try to steal my lover away and it won't be my foot lodging itself there, it'll be something much more painful, understand?" Before the Kyuubi could answer, Kurama's attention was focused on Mamushi. "As for you, if you're going to flirt, make sure that your current partner isn't around when you do so. Especially when he has the power to refuse certain… luxuries." The snake only smirked.

"There's two points I'd like to make. Firstly, that'd be torturing Orochimaru, not me. Secondly, I doubt that you could keep your hands off of him if the other day is anything to go by. Although if I had an incentive, I'm sure that I could keep my eyes focused entirely on your delightful body." The reaction was instantaneous, the blush stretching from Kurama's hairline to his neck. "Oh, my, it looks like somebody is sensitive. Should I have mentioned that your ass looks so nice in black, but there is one other way that looks much sexier." The Orochi draped his arms around Kurama's neck. "The way that your ass looks sexier is when your naked below me, getting fucked senseless." When Orochimaru pulled back, he couldn't help but laugh at Kurama's predicament.

"What are you laughing at?" Kurama snapped, burying his face against Orochimaru's clothing. Orochimaru raised Kurama's head until they were looking into each other's eyes, only then did Kurama realise that the eyes were golden, not red. "Sorry, Orochimaru-sama." Kurama laid his head on Orochimaru's shoulder.

"I can see that Mamushi has been causing a few problems." Orochimaru said as he laid his head against Kurama's. "I can't apologise enough if he has upset you. He always has taken great pleasure in annoying others for his own amusement, although you surprised him. He didn't expect you to place a sex ban on him, he wanted to commend you on that." Orochimaru smiled "As long as he doesn't think that I'm go9ing to share you, then we'll all be a happy family."

"He seemed more interested in Youko anyway." Kurama said, his warm breath ghosting over the skin on Orochimaru's neck. "We're both in the same predicament that way. We both have our demon resting inside us and have to share a body with them, however Youko has taken a bit of interest in Mamushi, however I don't know if that's a good sign or a bad one for him."

"You do remember that we're all here listening to you pair?" Yusuke asked. "I thought that we were supposed to be after this group of bad guys. Not to mention that my innocent ears can't take more of this!"

Those that knew the half-breed well enough couldn't help but laugh. "Hiei, I thought you got rid of that 'innocence' that Yusuke is talking about." Kurama said, teasing his former teammates.

"Heh, I thought I did too." Hiei said, eyeing the Toushin up. "Looks like I'll have to get rid of it all over again now." Hiei smirked. "The first time he said that humans don't take it up the ass the first time they fuck a guy." The crimson eyes closed as the apparition chuckled. "I just half fucked him up the ass instead."

While the others made fun of Yusuke, Orochimaru turned his attention to Fukuro. "You said that you remembered something." He said, Fukuro nodded and pointed to the outcropping he had seen before.

"I remember seeing that as they forced me to follow them." Fukuro said. "There's a forest just out of our sight. Just as we approach the forest there is a small track. We followed the track and it led us to the headquarters at that time. I was imprisoned there for a long time; I can't remember the number of days that I spent imprisoned there." Fukuro sighed in frustration. "I can't remember anything else and it's driving me mad!"

Orochimaru nodded. "I'm glad that things is coming back, and I'm sure that the rest will come back in due course. For now, let's follow your memory and see what we can find and the place where you were imprisoned." Orochimaru turned his attention to the others. "Okay, I know where to go now, so let's get moving!" He shouted.

From the shadows a woman with two gold eyes, watched the group leave. 'Seiryoku, Mamushi, you have gotten complacent in your old age.' The woman thought. 'I would challenge you now, but I have better things to do with my time, better things like warning my charges about you.' With that she melted into the shadows once more.

AN:

Currently named bijuu:

Seiryoku – Kyuubi no Kitsune

Mamushi – Hatchibi no Orochi

Sunahara – Ichibi no Shukaku


	8. Journey's End in Sight

Journey's End in Sight

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

"Come on, Hinata!" The pink haired kunoichi said.

"Yes, Hinata, share him!" The blonde chimed.

"No!" The furious Hyuuga heiress snapped.

"They're at it again." Neji said to Lee and Tenten. His poor wife was being pestered by the two other kunoichi over what Sakura and Ino determined as 'mating rights'. Their excuse was that there was no longer any decent males in Konoha for them to marry and they thought that they would try their chances with the only handsome male left to them, that handsome male just so happened to be Neji. Neji was flattered by the attention. Hinata was not.

"If either of you go near my husband in any intimate way, I'll hunt you down and make you pay." Hinata left the stunned girls. "I'm not the shy girl that you remember, ladies." Her eyes met Neji's before they looked back to Ino and Sakura. "I am also much stronger than you remember, so don't push it."

"What do we do now, Ino?"

"We go past Hinata and go directly to the man. Men always like plenty of attention."

"Sasuke didn't."

"I bet he would have if it were Neji paying him that attention though."

"Ino!"

Hiei chuckled at the girls. "What is it?" Yusuke asked as he plonked down beside Hiei, offering him some food.

"They've been pestering the Hyuuga girl again. "I don't see why though. Hyuuga Neji isn't really that good looking. Personally I think one of them should be with Nara Shikamaru. I'm sure that I saw him watching the girls, but which one I have no idea. If only that pair could see past looks, they would see the real jewels."

The two kunoichi's antics hadn't slipped past the other ninjas either. In fact they were the talk of the group, although none would say what they were talking about to either of their faces. Yamanaka Ino and Haruno Sakura could become quite terrifying when provoked.

Orochimaru sighed as he went to put a stop to the girls' cavorting. "Ladies, can't this wait until we're back in Konoha? We all have to live with each other until the mission is over, so that means leaving the Hyuugas alone." He calmly stared at the girls until they stopped glaring at him. "I mean it, if you really want to try fighting, then I'll leave you both unconscious in the next village for any male to do what he wills with you until we return."

"You wouldn't dare!" Ino shouted, Making Orochimaru grin.

"Do you really want to find out?" Orochimaru asked. "If so then I'm very happy to follow through with my threats, girls." The two kunoichi could see that Orochimaru was serious and they backed down. "Good, now just remember what I said, and the next instance…"

"We won't do this again." Sakura said quickly.

"Good." The Sannin snapped. "We have enough on our plates as it is without the two of you making things worse." He turned his attention to Fukuro once more. "Have you remembered anything?" He asked. He knew that Fukuro's memory had been returning slowly as the journey had progressed. All he had left to remember was the last four years and his memory would be complete.

"Orochimaru, I know that you're impatient, however my brother's mental health comes first." Itachi said. "Last time this happened he remembered something that I'm sure that we all would have rather remained forgotten. Slaughtering one's own family isn't a pleasant memory."

"Itachi, if we can't get to Chimamirehisakata as soon as possible there could be others like your brother. Do you really want another clan to suffer as yours has?" Kurama asked. "Fukuro is the only person that we can rely upon to help us, and if he can't then what do you suggest we do?"

"I haven't forgotten about them." Itachi growled. "I just want this over with as soon as possible so we can get on with our lives."

"Then please let Orochimaru do what he must. He needs to know everything so we can thwart that group's plans and so we can move on without looking over our shoulders." He gave a small reassuring smile. "So Fukuro can know that he is totally free of the group that had him destroy his family. So that we all know that the world is safe and that no others will be injured or killed."

While Itachi and Kurama were talking, Fukuro was trying hard to remember what events had transpired at that point and after. What had happened after he had killed the Uchiha clan was blurrier than what had happened beforehand. "I can't remember!" Fukuro shouted angrily. "Why can't I remember?" He slammed his hands against the desk in front of him. Suddenly he was drawn back into his memory.

FLASHBACK

Fukuro was dragged into the room and dumped at the feet of the woman that he only knew as 'Mistress'. He had seen her very few times in the past, but when he had it wasn't pleasant. From where he had landed all he could see was her knee length boots. A toe of the boot nudged his chin, telling him to look up. A pair of amethyst eyes met his, and there was a cruel smirk on her face. "Why did you fail us?" She asked. "We have held you here for seven years and still you refuse to apologise for your failure and finish the job that you were assigned." She laughed when she saw Fukuro's eyes narrow. "Had you been repentant more mercy would have been shown. After all this time and leniency shown to you I have been called in to deal with you."

She picked up the teen with ease and threw him into a chair. "Since I hate being let down, I'll have to make an example of you I'm afraid." She sounded too pleased to be truly let down. Then again the other members of Chimamirehisakata often called the Mistress a sadist. The woman reminded Fukuro of Orochimaru, and had gained the title 'Orochi-hime' at that instant, and even as she punished him, he found himself almost mistaking her for the Sannin. Her purple eyes mocked his efforts to stop himself from screaming at her to stop.

When she pulled back, Fukuro curled into a ball. "I'm sure that you won't disappoint me again, will you, Fukuro-kun?" Fukuro shook his head. "Good boy. To prove it, I have a little job for you. One of our associates has gone missing ands I want you to find and eliminate him. I then want you to take over his position in the organisation that he leads. Since you have been taught the error of your ways, I'm sure that I can trust you a little more. However, this is a delicate mission, and I need to make sure that certain information is kept quiet. I don't want everyone knowing out business, so I'm going to make sure that what has happened to you while you were here remains locked away. I trust that you're not going to fight me, are you?" Fukuro shook his head.

The next thing that he remembered was sitting up. "I don't want to hear anything from you until you have secured Akatsuki for us." She handed Fukuro a scroll. "This is where the main group can be located. We don't normally accept traitors back among us so easily, however in this instance you have the chance to partially redeem yourself. I've heard that Uchiha Itachi is a member of the group. Get rid of him and consider yourself pardoned."

"Y… yes mistress." Fukuro stammered. Even with the Mangekyo Sharingan he had been helpless. It was obvious in the way that she had never made eye contact that she knew of his abilities, that she knew of the weakness of the Sharingan. Either she had been told, or she had previous experience. The latter was a thought that didn't bode well. "I'll do as you say, Mistress." Could he actually turn against his brother? His eyes moved to the scroll in his hand. "May I open it, Mistress?" She nodded and Fukuro opened the scroll, seeing two words on the scroll. One was the name of a village, and the other was, what he guessed, a password. The name of the village made his eyes widen. Even he knew where this place was. "This is…!"

"Yes, that's right." The woman said with a smirk. "Right under the nose of one of the most powerful ninjas in the world."

END FLASHBACK

"What?" Orochimaru asked, now knowing the signs that Fukuro had remembered something.

"We've been moving away from where we wanted to go." Fukuro said. "Do you know a village named Kubota?"

"Yes. It's a village close to Otogakure… Wait a moment, you mean _that's _where they are?" Orochimaru said, shocked that a group could lie so silently under his nose and be so dangerous to his… health.

The group hurried back to the Land of Sound, formerly the Land of Rice Fields to the village. However when they arrived at the village, they saw the entire population had been slaughtered. Many had been ripped apart and others had been crushed by giant snakes. They hadn't been long dead either. Some of the bodies were still warm. "Who could have done something like this?" Hinata cried, when she suddenly heard a baby cry, and ran towards a house. Nestled in a cradle was a small baby, a small baby with white eyes. Her baby. On the floor beside the cradle was the woman that they had met in the village, the woman that almost had her baby stolen. "Inabikari Suiren? Hinata said, noticing that the woman was still breathing, she realised what had occurred in the village. "You stole my baby!" She shouted, but just before she could kill the woman, Neji stopped her. "She took our little girl!"

"We have her back, and she is already dying for her crimes." Neji said as he lifted Kikyo up. "We need to go home to take our little girl back where she belongs." Neji placed their daughter into Hinata's arms. "Come on love, let's bring our daughter out of this nightmare."

Orochimaru knew that snakes had been used, but for snakes of such power… 'Let me take over.' He heard Mamushi say in his mind, and he allowed the snake out enough that he could see the area. A small movement caught Mamushi's attention, and before the thing could move, Mamushi had it pinned. The 'thing' turned out to be a black snake. On closer inspection, it was a black python. "Who sent you and your kin here?"

"You must be Mamushi." The snake hissed. "My mistress commends you on your speed, even if she is still able to move faster than you. Did you think that it would be so easy to defeat my mistress?" Mamushi tightened his grip on the snake. "Run away, viper, the python has returned." A moment later and Mamushi crushed the snake in his anger.

"Seiryoku!" He shouted, getting the Kyuubi's attention. "We have a major problem. It seems as though Uwabame has decided to return after we defeated her and her kind all those centuries ago."

Seiryoku, having taken over Naruto's body, approached Mamushi. "If she is 'awake' then that means that Shitabininaru isn't far behind."

"Shitabininaru? Uwabame? What are you talking about?" Kurama asked, approaching the pair.

"I'll tell you later." Mamushi said. "For now, we need to get out of here and devise a strategy to use."


End file.
